The central government on Thursday informed Delhi High Court orally that it has unblocked the IP address of US based app “One Signal Inc” in response to a petition filed by American company against the order passed by Indian government which had blocked its IP Address in India without a hearing or explanation.
The matter was listed before the single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh for hearing.
The petition was filed by “One Signal Inc.” a company incorporated under the laws of Delaware, United States, filed through advocates Vijay Pal Dalmia, Rajat Jain and Aditya Dhar, challenging the blockage of its IP Address 104.18.225.52 in India.
The petitioner has sought directions to set aside and quashing of the order passed by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology under the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, framed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, for blocking the IP address 104.18.225.52.
The plea has arrayed the ministries of Electronics and Information Technology and Communications as parties.
It said the blockage has resulted in loss of business and livelihood to the company as the customers are not able to avail and take the benefits of its services.
The petitioner is a company based in the United States of America and provides services including mobile and web push notifications which is an important and essential communication channel built into every mobile device sold today. Push notifications help in delivering timely and relevant information to users and are the first and often, most essential communication channel used by web based and mobile applications, it said.
It said that in July 2020, it came to the notice of the company that its IP address has suddenly been blocked by various internet service providers (ISPs) including Airtel, TATA and Atria Convergence Technologies Ltd without issuing any intimation or any opportunity of being heard.
Also Read: Supreme Court gives 4 weeks’ time to Centre to file reply on public holiday policy
It claimed that till date, no notice or intimation has been received by it with respect to the blocking of the present IP address.
It further said that the company is unaware of the actions taken by the authorities towards blocking the IP address and that they have unilaterally and arbitrarily blocked its IP address without following the principles of natural justice and equity.
The matter now would be heard on March 1, 2021.